Older drivers 'more likely to swerve when texting'

Older motorists may not always be more capable drivers than their younger counterparts, a study has suggested.

Research by an American university has found that drivers aged between 45 and 59 are four times more likely to swerve into another lane if they try and illegally text while driving.

The study, which used a simulator to test how drivers coped with having to text while behind the wheel, found that every driver in the older age group crossed from one lane to another while dangerously using their mobile phones to compose a text, compared with only 25% of people aged 18 to 24.

Randall Commissaris, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan said that the results had surprised the research team.

Prof Commissaris said that generally younger drivers are more easily distracted so would struggle with the clear dangers of driving and texting, but the results of the study showed that it was the older group - normally considered to be safer drivers - who swerved the most.

In total about 50% of all those who took part crossed from one lane to another when trying to text. The study found that as age increased, the amount of times a car crossed lanes also went up.